Israel's landscapes - JNF artificial forest in lower Galilee

Among the main achievements of JNF is success to plant artificial forests across Israel during one century alone (since 1901), playing a major role in the ecology of the area. JNF has planted 840 thousand dunams of forests up to January 2009 (3.8% of Israel's territory), and the program is continuing with annual "Tu Bishvat" jewish holiday of the trees, when school children attend planting new trees in desert areas and destroyed forests.

The land of Israel suffered an almost total destruction of its forests during several war periods in history - especially Jewish-Roman wars (67-136CE) and the Holy Land Crusades (1099-1291). Final irreversible forest destruction occured during the Ottoman rule (1516-1917CE).

JNF - Joint National Fund of Israel (Keren Kayemet LeIsrael) has begun its activity in the year 1901, aiming purchase of lands from the Ottoman Empire for Jewish enterprise of land recovery.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• קקל
• קרן קיימת לישראל
• JNF
• יערות קקל

[pherkads]

So it can be done. I am a native Saudi and looking into ways to terraform the deserts of Arabia. The UAE is making advanced R&D into this as well.

[Greyshark09]

@pherkads

You should note that unlike Arabia, Galilee has held forests until very recently (forests largely vanished under Roman Empire and finally due to Ottoman policy of deforestation), and still has an appropriate climate for many tree types. Desert is a completely different story.

Yet, the desert forestation too nears reality - we have successful experiments going on in Northern Negev desert, which is much similar to Hijaz climate: heat resistant tree types, which need little water.

[GreenUpASSYRIA]

Can they plant more native oak trees? Because Oak reduce forest fire while pines can cause much higher damage.

[Greyshark09]

Yes, this is exactly the plan today.

We had many problems with pine fires, because of rocket attacks and arab hooligans, so the decision was to indeed widen the use of leaf trees instead of pines. The newer forests are fire resistant.

[GreenUpASSYRIA]

Is Israel considering on planting the 'Empress Splendor tree?' Because is non-invasive and environmental friendly, since it is hybrid tree. It is consider as the world fastest growing tree growing up to 70-80 feet within 15 year. Even if the fire burned these trees down, or even cutting it down, they will re-grow but much faster than before (which makes them a great timber tree).I know Egypt is considering these awesome tree. Look it up and tell me what you think. They are very beautiful tree.

[GreenUpASSYRIA]

Oh ok.